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Gas pizza oven vs. electric pizza oven

Victoria Bailey Updated October 24, 2018

The pizza oven is quite possibly the most important piece of equipment that you will buy for your pizza restaurant. Everything about your business depends on your oven, from the quickness and ease of use to the quality of the final product. Decide on the kind of pizza you want to serve, and it will be easier to decide what kind of oven to install.

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Cost

Cost is not the only important consideration when deciding on a type of pizza oven, but it is a significant one. Deck ovens, which are mainly gas ovens, are less expensive to purchase outright. There are some electric deck ovens, but they are not in widespread use in the business. By far the most common electric oven is the conveyor oven. These can cost twice as much as gas deck ovens for the original set-up that will handle the same amount of product. Check with local gas and electric suppliers to get a comparative yearly cost for running each type of oven.

Ease of Use

Deck gas ovens are labour intensive in most situations. Pizzas must be rotated every two or three minutes to ensure even browning on all sides. A team member must be intensely aware of the state of every pizza at all times to get a consistent product from a gas oven. Electric conveyor ovens are mostly labour-free. Put the pizza in and the conveyor belt will carry it to the end. Except for special orders like well done or lightly cooked pies, there is no additional work until the pizza is ready to cut and box.

Tools

Gas ovens are classic pizza ovens and can be used with pizza screens or dough set right on the stone inside. Electric ovens can handle pizza screens as well as deep dish pizza pans. Your desired pizza style will be a big factor in determining which oven to choose.

Training

Every employee in your business must be trained, but not all ovens require the same training. Electric ovens require only basic pizza-making skills, as the pie is simply set on the conveyor belt at one end of the oven and needs no tending until it is finished. Gas ovens require a dedicated employee to work as a pizza tender. This high-intensity position has been likened to an air-traffic controller job, because the tender must keep track of the relative position and doneness of up to 32 pizzas at a time.

Product

The final decision between gas or electric pizza ovens must rely on the product that the oven produces. Electric ovens are very good for mass-produced pies with standardised flavour and a reliable quality. Gas ovens are more specialised and make custom orders easier, and they add a different flavour and texture to the crust.

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Resources

About the Author

Working in sunny Florida, Anne Baley has been writing professionally since 2009. Her home and lifestyle articles have been seen on Coldwell Banker and Gardening Know How. Baley has published a series of books teaching how to live a frugal life with style and panache.